Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a boost ahead of their opening day fixture with Manchester City after Pep Guardiola admitted that he has taken very little from his side’s hectic pre-season campaign.
Given that City are trying to sign Spurs’ star player in Harry Kane before the end of the transfer window, the relationship between the two clubs is a little tense at the moment, especially after Kane missed training in what is rumoured to be an attempt to force a move to the Etihad.
Whilst Kane’s transfer saga has put a lot of pressure on Tottenham’s shoulders, this news will help ease Nuno Espirito Santo’s nerves ahead of his first competitive game in charge, as he’ll believe his side can get a result against the current Premier League Champions.
Guardiola watched his team ease past Blackpool 4-1 on Tuesday night, but the Spaniard still questioned whether his side will be able to take anything meaningful from their pre-season because of Covid disruptions and late player arrivals, as they gear up for a title defence.
“Now is a completely different world for all the managers. We don't have time,” said Guardiola, as per the Express.
“Sometimes we think what is the reason why the managers are here in pre-season because we have three players, after a few days we have five, then after a few more days we have three or four more.
“Sometimes one of them has to be isolated because they fly on a plane with 150 people and one of them tested positive so they have to isolate for eight days.
“The weeks go on and thanks to the games we get the condition because we don't have time and cannot speak about the ideas that we want to play because in two or three weeks we will start to be all together.
“It is a little bit strange but we have to adapt. it is what it is.”
Every club is in a similar situation ahead of the new season, and that understandably makes it difficult to prepare, but as it’s clearly affected Guardiola and his pre-season training, so perhaps Espirito Santo has a better chance of beating him on August 15.
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